Molded plastic container and closure combinations, typically but not exclusively made of high density polyethylene, have become extremely popular for use in shipping, storing and marketing a variety of products from sealants and paints to food products in both individual consumer and bulk quantities. It is known to provide such container/closure combinations with tamper evident characteristics through one or more of an assortment of locking structures including those which are partially or fully disabled by way of tear strips or tear bands. The typical tear band closure is provided with at least one locking structure and a tear line which allows a portion of the outside peripheral skirt of the closure to be manually torn away to fully or partially remove or disable the locking structure. The removal of the tear band provides visual evidence that the closure has been manipulated for removal purposes. After the removal of the tear band, the closure may be completely detached from the container and either discarded or reused.
The term “locking” is used in this description to refer to inter-fitting plastic structures such as undercuts and flanges which mate to impede or resist the removal of the closure from the container; i.e. the term does not infer the need for keys or combinations or absolute security.